Trolley-retriever.



L. V. MOULTON.

TROLLEY RETRIEVER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 1, 1914.

Patented Mar. '21,- 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

PLANOGRAPH $0.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

L. V. MOULTON.

TROLLEY RETRIEVER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1. m4.

1,17 ,397; Patented Mar. 21,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wl'iflesses imam 0% gar/$721211? %'I W L. V. MOUL'TON. TROLLEY RETRIEVER. APPLNZATIQN FILED NOV- 7, m4.

Patented Mar. 21,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1 F1 W/fness es l/ulen for war/Qaxwhgfon Y ma COLUMBIA PLArjoaRAPl-l :0; WASHINGTON, n. c

LUTHER V. MO'ULTON,

F GRAND RAPIDS, MIGHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO EMILY V.

CHAMBEBLIN, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

TROLLEY-RETBIEVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, acre.

, Application filed November 7, 1914. Serial No. 870,872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUTHER V. MOULTON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Retrievers; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full,'clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in trolley retrievers, adapted to pull the trolley pole down below the line conductor and guy wires whenever the trolley wheel leaves the line conductor. Such retrievers are usually provided with a drum on which the trolley cord is wound, a light springacting on the drum to take up and pay out the cord as the pole moves down and up to follow the line conductor, hereafter called the take-up spring, a strong spring held under tension, hereafter called the retrieving spring, means for automatically connecting the retrieving spring with the drum whenever the trolley wheel leaves the line conductor, and means for rewinding the retrieving spring and disconnecting the same from the drum to permit the trolley wheel to be replaced on the line.

Some of the objects of my invention areto insure prompt action of the device; to adapt the device to trolley poles having different strengths of lifting springs; to insure certainty of operation; to insure certain and accurate rewinding of the retrieving spring under varying conditions; to provide means for minimizing the shock when the retrieving spring connects with the drum; and to rovide the device with various new and use ful features hereinafter more fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims. a

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, in which; V

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the device with parts broken away to show the construction; 2 is the same taken at right angles to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail of the retrieving spring case and parts attached; Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the winding drum, showing brakes; Fig. is the" same as Fig.3 viewed from the opposite side Fig. 6 1s a detail in.

the centrifugal section of the holding collar for the retrievf-5 p i g Fig. 7 is a detail of the trip key; Flg. 8 1s an elevation of the case showing the holding dog and trip arm; Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the detent for holding the retrievlng spring wound up; Fig. is a plan v1ew of the same; Fig. 11 is a detail of the holding dog for the detent; and Fig. 12 is a detail of the trip arm for the same.

Like numbers refer to like parts in all of the figures.

A cup-shaped case 1 is provided having the usual means for securing the same to a car and closed by the inner flange 4 of a winding drum spaced apart from the head of the case, thus forming a closed chamber 1 in the case. The case is also provided with a hood 1 at the top and this hood and chamber serve to inclose and protect the operating mechanism for the winding drum 3 which drum islocated beneath the'hood and provided with a detachable outer head 5 closing the outer end of the drum and forming an outer flange for the same.

6 is a center pin fixed in the head 5 by a pin 6 and extending through the axis of the drum 3, and rotative in a tube or sleeve 2 fixed in the head of the case 1 by screw threads and jam-nuts 2 and projecting within the axis of the drum 3. Journaled on the sleeve 2 near the head of the case is a cup-shaped spring case 7 on which the winding drum 3 is journaled. Astrong retrieving spring 8 is arranged in the case 7 and is attached at its outer end to the said case, and at its inner end to a collar 9 on the sleeve 2. Said collar is provided with a key 10 slidably engaging a key-seat 13 in the sleeve and a hook 11 engaging the spring 8, whereby the inner end of the spring is detachably connected to the sleeve.

In the drum 3 is a take-up spring 12 attached to the said drum at its outer end and inserted in the key seat 13 in the sleeve at its inner end.

8 is a disk between the springs 8 and 12 to keep the same apart.

- Pivoted in the spring case 7 and extending through an opening in the periphery thereof, is a pawl 15 engaged with one of the ratchet teeth 16 in the drum 3 by a spring 17 and held out of such engagement by a detent 21, which engages a lever 18 pivoted on the case 7 and connected to the pawl by intermeshil g .C g 19, An arm 20 is fixed on the case 7 and extends outside the lever 18 drum and take up the slack of the trolley both the arm and the lever being engaged cord in the usual way, allowing it to unwind and held by the detent 21. This detent .is and causing it to rewind as the trolley pole carried at one end of a frame 22, within the follows the changing elevation of the line hood 1 and pivoted at one end as at 23, a wire. The spring 25 insures engagement of "1? spring 25 is provided to yieldably engage the detent 21 with the lever 18 and arm 20. the detent with the lever 18 and arm 20. Should the trolley wheel leave the line wire, Journaled in the vertically movable end the sudden upward movement of the pole of the frame 22 is a roller 24 which is subcarrying the wheel will suddenly pull the stantially above the axis of the drum and cord and put a lifting action on the detent '1' moved toward the drum by the spring 25 frame sufiicient to overcome the spring 25 to engage the detent 21 with the lever 18 and raise the detent out from engagement and arm 20 and. moved away from the drum with the lever 18 and arm 20, whereupon it by the trolley cord which is secured to the is engaged and held up by the dog 26. As drum as at 14 and wound on the same enthe detent rises the lever 18 is first'released, 33 gaging the underside of the roller 24 and and the time intervening before the release thence extended upward to the trolley pole of the arm is suflicient to enable the and attached thereto. spring 17 to throw the pawl 15 into engagea A dog 26 is pivoted on the head of the ment withone of the ratchet teeth 16 before 20- case 1 and engages a shoulder 27 in the the arm 20 is released and the retrieving '35 detent 21 to hold the same raised out of enspring 8 comes into action. The device thus gagement with the lever 18 and arm 20. A obviates a serious difficulty due to the releasing arm 27 is connectedto the dog vigorous action of the spring '8 which if by a rule joint 28 and extends toward the released before the pawl15 is engaged with 2 axis of the case close to the head of the case p the drum, would resul in injury to, or 779 and within the path'of a trip key 30, when, serious wear. of the machine. The combined the same is moved close to said head as action of the springs 8and 12 is sufficient hereinafter described. Said key iscarried to wind the trolley cord upon the drum v3. around the sleeve 2 in a slot 31 in the hub and pull the pole below the line wire. and 0 of the spring case 7 and is slidable therein guy wires, where it can do no damage. toward and away from the head of the case By the construction described the retriev- 1 and is moved by engaging screw threads ing action is very prompt and reliable, being 32 in the key and sleeve. practically instantaneous and allowing very nder some conditions such as a very little time and very slight rise of the wheel weak lifting spring or a high line wire, the above the line. 7 g i v upward movement of the pole when the To reset the device it isonly necessary to wheel leaves the line may not trip the repull out the cord and rewind the retrieving triever. To prevent this result, centrifugal spring. During the retrieving action the 40 lnner head 4 of the drum 3, and carried less depending upon the distance that the 1 1 around thereby, the short end of these pole is moved downward. With a stilf liftbrakes engage the periphery of the spring ing spring or low line wire a less number of case 7 when the other and heavier end of turns or rotations of the spring case and each brake swings outward by centrifugal winding drum would occur, there is thus a force, as the drum 3 revolves. variation in the amount of screw threads 32 To normally hold the brake out of enwhich act to move the trip key 30 away from gagement with the spring case 7, a contracthe plane of the trip lever 27 and whether tile spring 34 is attached to theheavy end this movement be more or less is immaterial of each brake at one end and to a segment for that the retrieving spring must be re- 35 on the head 4; at the other end. These wound to the same extent that. it unwinds segments have holes at intervals to receive when retrieving to move the key 30 so that it the endot' the spring to adjust the tension will engage the said lever 27, thus when the on the spring. spring has been rewound to the same tension In operation, the retrieving spring 8 is as it was in the first instance, the key 30 will held under tension by engagement of the engage the lever 27 and thus move the dog detent 21 with the arm 20 and the trip key 26 out of engagement with the shoulder 27 30 is close to the head of the case 1 and in on the detent and allow the latter to drop position to engage the releasing arm 27.. within the path of the arm 20 and the lever The detent 21 at its lower end also engages 18, thus throwing the dog 15 out of en agethe lever 18 and thus overcomes the spring ment with the drum, detaching the spring 8 125 7 and moves the pawl 15 inward clear of from connection with the drum and hold the ratchet teeth 16 in the winding drum. ing the said spring woundup. The wheel The take-up spring 12 being permanently can then be replaced on the line and the connected to the winding drum, and not device will operate as before, merely to very strong, will merely rotate the said take up the slack of the cord until the trolley 133 again leaves the wire. In slacking back on the cord after the detent has dropped, to reengage the wheel with the line wire, the key may engage the arm 27 in which event the rule joint will yield and allow the key to pass the arm on the rewinding movement of the drum.

It will be seen that this device is of such construction that but very little attention need be given it, and that when it leaves the line it must necessarily be properly reset before the trolley can be replaced on the line thus insuring that a careless operator cannot restore the wheel to the line and proceed with the car unless he properly resets the device.

What I claim is 1. A trolley retriever comprising a drum on which the cord is wound, a take-up spring to rotate the drum, an independently rotary member, a retrieving spring to rotate said member, a pawl carried by said member to engage and rotate the drum, a lever to hold the pawl out of said engagement, means for holding the lever and said rotary member, and means for releasing the lever and the rotary member in succession when the trolley leaves the line conductor.

2. In a trolley retriever, a winding drum, a cord wound on the drum and connected to a trolley pole, a retrieving spring, means for connecting the spring and drum, means for holding the spring under tension, means for holding the connecting means out of action, and means for successively releasing the connecting means and the spring when the trolley leaves a line conductor whereby the con necting means operates before the spring is released.

3. In a trolley retriever, a retrieving spring normally held out of action, a detent to hold the spring, a dog to hold the detent out of action, a trip lever to move the dog out of action, amovable key to operate the trip lever, and means for moving the key into operative position when the spring is fully wounchand for moving the same out of operative position when the spring is unwound.

at. A trolley retriever, comprising a drum, a frame pivoted at one end, a detent and a roller carried by the other end of the frame, a cord wound on the drum and extending beneath the roller and thence upward and attached to a trolley pole, aretrieving spring within the drum, a pawl connected to the movable end of said spring and adapted to engage the drum, a lever to hold the pawl out of said engagement, an arm connected to the said spring, a detent to engage and hold both the lever and the arm and to release the same in succession.

A trolley retriever, comprising a drum, a spring case within the drum, each being independently rotative, a retrieving spring in the case to rotate the same, a pawl carried by the case to engage the drum, a spring to engage the pawl with the arm, a lever to disengage the pawl from the drum, an arm on the case, a detent to engage both the lever and the arm and operating to first release the lever and afterward to release the arm and a cord wound on the drum and adapted to be attached to a trolley pole and also adapted to move the detent out of engagement with the lever and arm when the pole suddenly rises.

6. A trolley retriever, comprising a drum, a spring case in the drum, said drum and case being independently rotative about a common axis, a retrieving spring in the case to rotate the same, a pawl carried by the case to engage and rotate the drum, a spring to engage the pawl with the drum, a lever to hold the pawl out of engagement with the drum and projecting from the case, an arm fixed on the case and projecting beyond the lever, a detent adapted to engage both the lever and the arm, and operating to first release the lever and afterward release the arm, a cord wound on the drum and adapted to be attached to a trolley pole and also adapted to move the detent out of engagement with the lever and arm when the pole suddenly rises.

. 7. A trolley retriever, comprising a hollow drum, a spring case in the drum, the drum and case being independently rotative, a retrieving spring in the case to rotate the same, a pawl carried by the case and adapt- 1 ed to engage teeth in the drum, a spring to engage the pawl with said teeth, a pivoted lever having cogged connection with the pawl to hold the latter out of said engagement, an arm fixed on the case and projectbeyond the lever, a pivoted frame carrying a roller and a detent at its movable end, said detent to engage both the lever and the arm, a cord wound on the drum and adapted to be attached to a trolley pole, said cord also engaging the roller to move the detent out of engagement when the pole suddenly rises.

8. A trolley retriever, comprising a drum, a spring case, a retrieving spring in the case to rotate the same, a pawl in the case to connect the same with the drum, a lever to hold the pawl out of action, a detent to engage and hold the lever, a dog to engage and hold the detent out of operation, an arm to disengage the dog, a key carried by the drum to engage the arm and release the dog, and means operated by rotation of the case to move the key toward and away from the arm.

9. Atrolley retriever, comprising a drum, a cord attached to a trolley pole and wound on the drum, a spring case in the drum, the drum and case each being independently rotative, a retrieving spring in the case to rotate the same, means for connecting the case and drum, a detent adapted to hold the said means out of action and to hold the drum from rotating, means for moving the detent out of action when the cord is suddenly unwound from the drum, a dog to engage and hold the detent, an arm to disengage the dog, a key carried by the case'and movable toward and away from the said arm, a sleeve on which the case is rotative and screw threads in the sleeve and key to move the key when the drum rotates.

10. A trolley retriever, comprising a drum and a spring case independently rotative, a retrieving spring in the case to rotate the same, a fixed member on which the case is rotative, means for automatically connecting the drum and case when the spring rotates the case, a detent to hold the case from rotating, means for moving the detent to inoperative position operated by the upward movement of a trolley pole, a dog to hold the detent in said position, a key carried by the case to disengage the dog and movable in the direction of the axis of the case, and engaging screw threads in the key and member to move the key as the case rotates.

11. A trolley retriever, comprising a drum, a cord wound on the same and attached to a trolley pole, a spring case in the drum, the case and drum each being independently rotative. a retrieving spring in the case to rotate the same, means for automatically connecting the case and drum, a detent adapted to hold the connecting means out of action and to hold the case from rotating, means for moving the detent to in operative position when the pole suddenly moves upward, a dog to hold the detent in said position, an arm to move the dog to inoperative position, a key carried by the case and slidable therein to engage the arm, and a fixed screw engaging the key to move the same in the case into and out of engaging position.

12. A trolley retriever, comprising a drum, a cord wound on the drum and attached to a trolley pole, a case in the drum, the case and drum each being independently rotative. a retrieving spring in the case to rotate the same, a pawl carried by the case to engage teeth in the drum, a spring to move the pawl to engaging position, a pivoted lever having a cogged connection to the pawl to move the same to inoperative position, an arm fixed on the case. a frame above the drum pivoted at one end and carrying a roller and a detent at the other end, said detent to engage both the lever and the arm and said roller engaged by the cord to raise the frame and move the detent to inoperative position, a dog to hold the frame raised, an arm to move the dog to inoperative position, a key carried by the case and movable therein toward and away from the arm, and a fixed screw engaging threads in the key to move the same toward and away from the arm. 13. A trolley retriever, comprising a drum and a spring case independently rotative, a retrieving spring in the case to rotate the same, means forautomatically connecting the drum and case, a detent to hold said means out of operation and'to hold the case from rotating, means for moving the detent to inoperative position, a dog to holdthe detent in said position, anarm connectedto said dog by a rule joint whereby it operates to move the dog when moved in one direction and is inoperative when moved in the opposite direction, a key carried by the case and movable therein toward and away from the said arm and a fixed screw engaging threads in the key to move the same when the case rotates.

14. A trolley retriever,. comprising a drum, a spring case, a retrieving spring in the case, means for holding the spring un der tension comprising a movable detent, means for automatically connecting the spring case to the'drum when the spring is released, means for releasing the spring when a trolley pole suddenly rises, consisting of a cord wound on the drum and attached to the pole, and also engaging a roller connected to the detent and movable therewith, and a centrifugal brake carried by the drum and engaging the springcase to lncrease the tension on the cord when the drum rotates above a predetermined .speed.

15. A trolley" retriever, comprising a drum. a cord wound; on the drum and connected to a trolley pole, a spring case in the drum, the case and drum each being in dependently rotative, means for automatically connecting the case and drum when the case is rotated by the spring, a detent to normally hold said means out of opera-' tion. means for moving the detent to inoperative position operated by sudden in creased'tension on the cord, anda centrifu- Qal brake carried on the drum and engaging the case when the drum is rotated above apredetermined speed. v

In testimony "whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LUTHER V. MOUTJTQN. lVitnesses i y FRANK E. LIVERANCE, Jn, H. H. YARRINGTON.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in Letters Patent No.

1,176,397, granted March 21, 1916, upon the application of Luther V. Moulton, of

Grand Rapids, Michigan, for an improvement in Tro11ey-Retricvers," was errone- Whereas said name should ously Written and printed as Emily V. Chamberlin, have been Written and printed as Emily M. C'ha'mberl'in, as shown by the records of assignments in this Office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed andisealed this 25th day of April, A. D., 1916.

[SEAL] J. T. NE'WTON,

O1. 19193. Acting Commissioner ofPatentsn 

